Thursday, September 12, 2013

Why Risks Are Worth Taking

Congratulations to "DMann", the winner in Jennifer's giveaway. Thank you to all who participated!

Someone once told me life isn't worth living if you never take risks. That person was right. Imagine how boring life would be if we never went on a blind date, entered a contest, or stuck a quarter in a slot machine. 

Some may be more adventurous. They might sky dive or rock climb. For others, a risk might be accepting a new job or moving to another state. To get anywhere in life, you have to take chances that push you outside your comfort zone.

One of the biggest risks I ever took was snorkeling off the coast of Grand Cayman in water that was thirty feet deep. Before going to Grand Cayman, I didn't know how to swim and had always feared water. My husband taught me how to swim so that I could snorkel with him.

I still remember going into panic mode when we went out on the boat. I trembled with fear as I sat on the edge of the boat and stared at the water. Despite my fear, I finally leaped in and had the best time. As you can tell, it's one of my proudest moments. 

Betting Brenda is about moments like this. I love Brenda because she isn't afraid to take risks. She knows what she wants and goes after it, even if it means taking a bet that forces her to go on a reality TV show.

Have you taken any risks? What's the biggest risk you've taken? Comment below to enter a drawing for an ebook copy of Betting Brenda in the format of your choice.





A slight breeze carried the scent of Caleb’s cologne. Spicy. Warm and spicy like him. It made her want to draw closer to him. She was in trouble. Big trouble.

She turned to Caleb and the ground shifted under her feet, making her almost dizzy with anticipation. She didn’t know if she could pull off a coherent conversation with this man. Only one word described him. Yummy. 

He sauntered over to the swing and took the seat vacated by Aaron. His green eyes met hers and one by one her brain cells went on vacation. Not good. She diverted her gaze to a spot above the swing. Think. He’s just a man. Nothing special. Except it had been a long time since she’d been with a man and Caleb was the type of man made for long steamy nights. If she got him naked, she’d use his body in a hundred different ways. 

No, no, no. She tried to focus her thoughts again. What was wrong with her? She couldn’t let him get to her.  He was the man who’d ruined her escape. She couldn’t possibly think about having sex with him when he would insist on keeping her on the stupid show. 

Now Brenda had herself fired up. Her hands turned into fists and her muscles tensed with anger. Caleb would be sorry he’d messed with her plans. By the time she was done, Caleb would be running to Aaron, telling him to send her on her way. Yes. She was about to become the woman with the attitude from Hell.



  1. Your pat brought back some really great memories! I remember the first time I went snorkeling, which was during a visit to St. Croix. I and two friends hired out a catamaran to take us to the coral reef near Trunk Bay. I was the only weak swimmer and didn't want to do it. Our guide was a pretty crusty codger that made me get in the water. I immediately wanted back in the boat and he said only if I put my head in the water. I was furious but finally did what he asked and the next time I surfaced was about 15 minutes later:) It was one of the most beautiful experiences and I stayed in the water for the next two hours. This began my adventures in snorkeling, which I now do whenever I'm in the Caribbean.

    Thanks, also for the book excerpt. Looking forward to reading the book.

    Jonettaallen77 at yahoo dot com

  2. You are right! There are some risks in life necessary to take. Otherwise, you will live your life never having done anything and wondering if you could have accomplished it. For me, my biggest risk was when my husband and I moved from Massachusetts to Virginia. I knew that everything would be different, but I did it anyway and I'm not sorry. Many people have asked me how could I move away from family and friends. Well, the answer is easy, I am a risk taker and always have been. I don't mean doing daredevil things, but I like to challenge life. So far, I have driven a boat. My next goal is to fly in an air balloon. After that, I would love to fly a plane. Life can become boring unless you continually challenge yourself. It may be taking art courses or it could be snorkeling. There are so many challenges out there, so why not try one. Life is too short to let it pass you by.

    Your book sounds interesting and looking forward to reading it.

  3. I like the way you tied your own experience into introducing your character, Jennifer. Best wishes with your book.

  4. I liked the way you tied your own experience into the character of Brenda too, Jennifer. I'm still in the process of reading the book right now, but I like the way Brenda is so confident and sure of herself and what she wants. She has a very strong, but likeable personality. She's really inspiring. I can't wait to find out how her story turns out.

  5. Thank you for having me and thank you to everyone who commented. I appreciate the support.

  6. I took the risk of rocking the boat at work. Everybody is so political and won't make a decision of what needs to get done. I already have taken some backlash from my supervisor. Yes, I was blunt about the fact and I didn't sugarcoated. I just told them of what needs to get done. I'm already in trouble again for doing that but at least the project is moving forward.

    After all if you want results, you just can't stand on the sideline.



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